five firsts

The things you didn’t know originated in Sonic’s 8-bit outings

Pinball Flippers

While everyone remembers Casino Night Zone on the 16-bit version of

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 for its pinball elements, fairly few know that the 8-bit version of Sonic The Hedgehog was in fact the first game in the series to actually include them – they appeared exclusively in the game’s later special stages. Sonic cd’s Theme Song Go back to Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and listen closely to Green Hills Zone’s theme, and you may just recognise it as a rendition of Sonic CD’S opening theme, You Can Do Anything. Mecha Green Hill Zone in Sonic Chaos runs it back, using a remixed version of the tune. Tails That’s right – as Sonic The

Hedgehog 2 arrived on 8-bit platforms before the 16-bit outing could hit the shelves, the game served as the debut of Sonic’s vulpine sidekick. He wasn’t playable in this outing, but when Master System owners finally got to control him they’d experience another first. exclusive Final Stage

In the Mega Drive games, owners of Sonic 3 who plug their cartridges into Sonic & Knuckles can access the exclusive final stage Doomsday Zone, if they have enough emeralds. A neat idea – and one which originated in Sonic The Hedgehog 2, with the Crystal Egg Zone. Tails’ Flight

While it was possible to see Tails fly on the Mega Drive, it was in Sonic

Chaos that players were first able to control Tails while he was in flight. Perhaps for that reason, he controls a little differently to usual – you need to press up and jump to lift off, and Tails can hover without the player’s input. Give it a try.